Focus: Susan Pamerleau — Nov. 27, 2012

Updated 5:49 pm, Monday, November 26, 2012

Photo: San Antonio Express-News

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GOP candidate for sheriff Susan Pamerleau was backed by several supporters at the Bexar County Courthouse on Feb. 7 when she first unveiled a long list of criticisms of Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz. Pamerleau, who faces Ortiz in the Nov. 6 general election, alleged a pattern of mismanagement by the Democratic incumbent, and now sheÕs saying the pattern continues. Pamerleau said this week that the heat-related deaths of two K-9s in a deputyÕs vehicle are only the latest missteps at the SheriffÕs Office.

GOP candidate for sheriff Susan Pamerleau was backed by several supporters at the Bexar County Courthouse on Feb. 7 when she first unveiled a long list of criticisms of Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz. Pamerleau, who

Our new sheriff has not started in her new office and has already been demoted.

This article named her as captain. ... Please, she was a major general (two-star).

We finally have someone with management skills who will shake up the good ol' buddy system. Susan Pamerleau was director of personnel force management in Washington, D.C., and had been vice president at USAA.

She has the skills to organize the system. A year from now, her employees will appreciate her restructuring.

Your story stated, “... a former U.S. Air Force captain ..., ” and again, “... climbing the ranks to a respected captain general.”

Sheriff-elect Pamerleau was a captain in the U.S. Air Force. And then she was a major, and then a lieutenant colonel, then a colonel, then a brigadier general, and then a major general, her rank at retirement.

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And, coincidentally, she was the highest-ranking of only five active-duty women generals in the Air Force at that time.

The story appears to have studiously avoided citing her very impressive credentials, including two assignments at the Pentagon. Most recently as director, Personnel Force Management; deputy chief of staff for personnel, U.S. Air Force Headquarters; and commander of Air Force Personnel Center.

It also omitted the fact that she was a senior vice president at USAA after her retirement from the Air Force.

I know these things about Pamerleau because we are friends from church and I asked her about her Air Force experience after I learned that we entered the Air Force at about the same time. Therefore, I have a very hard time believing that the reporter was unable to find out any of these facts, even though he apparently interviewed her in person. Of course, he was busy asking patronizing, silly questions: such as “What was the oddest moment you experienced during the race?”

It's a shame he opted for such a superficial and factually incorrect portrait instead of outlining the experience and qualifications that helped Pamerleau get elected to the very important office of Bexar County sheriff. If this shoddy piece is indicative of the quality of the newsroom's research and writing, the Express-News may want to increase its editorial oversight.

Re: “New sheriff in town looks past her historic election,” Metro, Sunday: The story stated stated that Susan Pamerleau was a former Air Force captain ... Are you kidding me?

Yes, she was a former captain, as well as a former second lieutenant, former first lieutenant, major, lieutenant colonel, colonel, and former one star general before retiring as a major general.

My wife and I were former captains in the Air Force, as were many other officers. We progressed through our careers with continued promotions and responsibilities. The fact that we were a former anything had no bearing on current or future potential.

So, to say that Susan Pamerleau was a former captain is pointless.

The challenges that face her in this newly elected position will undoubtedly be daunting, but how many times in her military career do you think she's heard those exact words?